Neches River Bridge

Anyone traveling between Orange County and Jefferson County along Interstate 10 has seen the cranes and big orange signs. Construction of the new Purple Heart Memorial Bridge, also known as the Neches River Bridge, is well underway and on schedule, according to Marc Shepherd, communication specialist at the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT).

Aug. 31 has been a deadly day for some Southeast Texas motorists and very frustrating for many others.

Motorists headed to their destinations were forced to find alternate routes Friday morning after a fatal crash at the base of the Purple Heart Memorial Bridge in Beaumont shut down Interstate 10 in both directions.

According to a Beaumont Police Department release, the driver of a GMC pickup truck heading eastbound in the westbound lane of I-10 collided head on with an 18-wheeler at 2:14 a.m.

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